The present invention relates generally to antennas and, more specifically, to antennas having a reversibly retained torque wrench intended to assist in tightening of the antenna.
Removable antennas for use on an automobile are well known. Current removable antennas are installed, typically by hand tightening, to its associated base on the automobile, at the time of delivery and are susceptible to inadvertent loosening or detachment. Loosened antennas are also susceptible to breakage when not securely attached to its associated base. Also, tightened antennas are important in receiving and transmitting signals such as radio broadcast waves.
One proposed solution to this problem is to form a torquing region on the antenna. The installer may then apply a torque wrench to the torquing region to tighten the antenna to its associated base. This minimizes the above problems associated with loose or detached antennas. However, if the installer is unable to find a torque wrench that fits onto the torquing region, either through shipping error or otherwise, the proposed solution is useless. Ideally, a proper fitting torque wrench would be readily available for use by the installer to install the antenna to its associated base.
Similarly, it would be ideal if the torque wrench would be subsequently available to end-users such as consumers, so that it may be used to retighten or loosen the antenna as desired. Thus, for example, the antenna may be removed by a consumer while entering a car wash to prevent breakage and subsequently reinstalled after exiting.
It is therefore highly desirable to provide a torque wrench for an antenna that would not be misplaced during shipping so that an installer can properly tighten the antenna to its associated base during installation.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a torque wrench for tightening an antenna that can be easily stored and secured during shipping to prevent loss thereof.
The present invention addresses the problems describe above by providing an antenna having a reversibly attached torque wrench that may be used by an installer to properly tighten the antenna to the base of a vehicle, boat or system in which the antenna is used. The torque wrench is formed of a material that is capable of deforming over a portion of the antenna during shipping. The torque wrench is then removed from the antenna after the antenna is tightened onto the system. The torque wrench is capable of being stored in the vehicle or system after installation for subsequent tightening and loosening of the antenna.